Chapter 386: Parent-Child Story

The shop does not always have customers, and Li Jiahong also has moments of leisure.

During this free and relaxing time, Li Jiahong can do what he wants in the shop, and even a brief departure from the Forest Cabin is permitted.

In Li Jiahong's eyes, Lin Ling is indeed a "person" with an eccentric and unfathomable personality, but he is absolutely a good boss as well. He provides all the benefits that normal employees should enjoy, and in addition, there are many hidden perks, such as gaining vast knowledge and mastering abilities that ordinary people cannot possess. After all, as the acting manager when Lin Ling is away, he must have some skills to hold his own.

To a certain extent, it can be said that when Lin Ling is not around, Li Jiahong is the person with the highest authority in the entire Forest Cabin; even Wei Jiang and the others would follow his orders, though he has never once issued a command to them.

After all, being able to do so does not mean he is allowed to do so.

These things are irrelevant to Li Jiahong; his adopted daughter Li Yuning is his only sustenance in this life and his motivation to survive. Beyond that, he has no other desires.

In the blink of an eye, over ten years have passed. The life he, then in despair, dug out from that nightmarish ruin is now almost ready for the college entrance examination.

Li Jiahong knows that their family is destined not to be normal people. There is no need to live exactly like secular people, and naturally, there is no need to bear the troubles of secular people, but he still hopes his daughter can walk through the secular world once.

Lin Laoban once told him that if one has not experienced entering the world, how can one talk about transcending it? Being outside the boundary while the height of one's heart remains forever within the barrier is like a castle in the air—hollow and unreal.

Li Jiahong only feels that what Lin Laoban said is very reasonable. He also has his own selfish motives; he does not really want Li Yuning to come into too much contact with Abnormal matters, at least until she comes of age. If, after coming of age, she still firmly wants to pursue a career related to actively contacting the Abnormal, he will support his daughter in doing what she wants to do, regardless of the risks involved.

"Lao Li, looking at little Yuning's college entrance exam preferences?" Wei Jiang passed by Li Jiahong while cleaning the shop, glanced at the browser interface on the computer in front of Li Jiahong, and immediately guessed what Li Jiahong was doing.

Li Jiahong returned a smile and shrugged, saying somewhat helplessly: "That child's studies are alright. She studies liberal arts, and in several mock exams, she has scored over 600 points. Getting into a key university is no problem; it's just that I don't know which university would be better to choose."

Just as Wei Jiang was about to say something, Chen Xiaolin popped up from nowhere, took off her white chef's hat, leaned over the table, and said with a grin: "I recommend one. The university I graduated from, Shenzhou Ren Da, is quite good."

"I am ashamed; I, an old man, never went to college. My opinion is that as long as the scores are similar, any one of them is fine. There is no need to dwell on it too deeply; being able to learn is a good thing." Li Duojin walked out from the shadows behind a shelf and shook his head with a smile.

Li Duojin's situation is indeed extremely special. In the era he lived in, materials were scarce, and those who could go to college were basically not ordinary people. Since childhood, he was adopted by his master and lived to inherit the Daoist temple, receiving only some basic education. His diploma actually counts at most as a contemporary middle school student. Later, after inheriting the temple, he was long past the age for proper schooling, and being tied up with secular affairs, he had no opportunity to pursue further studies.

Li Jiahong smiled and said thank you to the two of them, saying: "I have received your suggestions."

Wei Jiang crossed his arms and gave his own advice: "Xiaolin will be eighteen after this year, right? If she is still so obsessed with the Investigator profession, then I suggest she go to a special university established by the World Public Opinion Bureau and relevant Shenzhou forces to learn more knowledge related to Abnormal matters. Outstanding graduates can even be directly recruited into the Xuanmi Group after graduation.

Otherwise, considering special universities abroad is also possible, like Miskatonic University."

Li Jiahong nodded. Wei Jiang's words actually gave him great inspiration; this is indeed a direction he can consider, but there is still a slight hesitation in his heart.

"You are actually not concerned about which university little Yuning should go to, but rather you don't know whether you should let go and let her live on her own, right?" Lin Ling's voice sounded abruptly.

Everyone looked toward the sound and saw that the master of this place, Lin Ling, had once again slipped back from outside without a sound.

Everyone was accustomed to this and respectfully greeted Lin Ling with a "Hello, Boss."

Li Jiahong subsequently admitted what Lin Ling had just said: "Yes, I don't know if I should just let that child face such a world alone.

In the past, have I been a bit too doting on her, not letting her properly see and get used to this... strange world?"

Wei Jiang couldn't help but pat Li Jiahong on the shoulder: "You're overthinking it. That child of yours has the most formidable skills and talent I have ever seen in my life, at least when it comes to being an Investigator.

She is daring, yet she lacks no rationality; she is meticulous. Although her actions may look absurd at times, and she often takes unconventional paths, she would absolutely never joke with her own life or the lives of others.

I believe that if she wants to become an Investigator, you will certainly be able to let go with peace of mind."

Li Jiahong expressed his thanks again, only this time the smile on his face held a bit more pride and self-satisfaction.

Lin Ling held his teacup, joined the discussion circle, and said with a smile: "Speaking of which, looking at you father and daughter, I suddenly remembered a story about parental trust."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaolin, Li Duojin, and Wei Jiang appeared somewhat curious and asked what the story was.

But Li Jiahong's face stiffened, and his expression gradually turned pale; he remembered something he had once discussed with his daughter.

The stories Lin Laoban tells are all related to people, as if they are prophetic allegories.

At this moment, the story Lin Laoban was suddenly about to tell seemed to have a great deal to do with his own daughter.

Li Jiahong's mood began to grow uneasy; if by any chance it were true, he did not know which person's fate in the story his daughter corresponded to.

Should he prepare for this?

If it is truly destiny, who can really escape it easily?

Thinking of this, Li Jiahong became somewhat hesitant, not knowing whether he should hoard more useful things and just let his daughter stay at home for the rest of her life.

But Lin Ling is a man of his word; he really finished his last task of the day in just a few seconds and continued to resume his casual chatting mode.

"Once upon a time, a giant ball of flesh was born to a general's wife. That ball of flesh looked very evil at first glance, and the people around were discussing it heatedly.

The general arrived at the scene at lightning speed and used his precious sword, wanting to hack that ball of flesh to death.

But miraculously, there were no casualties; the general did not hack the ball to death."